1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a 0.22 caliber long rifle removable conversion system kit for black powder, ball and cap reproduction and replica revolverxe2x80x94recreation and gallery shooting and more particularly pertains to a system for safely and conveniently converting a black powder pistol to fire modern smaller caliber cartridges and back again.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of known methods and apparatuses for converting black powder pistols to fire modern ammunition of a smaller caliber is known in the prior art. More specifically, known methods and apparatuses for converting black powder pistols to fire modern ammunition of a smaller caliber previously devised and utilized for the purpose of allowing different ammunition to be used in ancient weapons are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,249 to Brown et al., Issued on Mar. 20, 1984 discloses a steel plug to convert a modern shotguns to function as a muzzle loading weapon. U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,997 to Baxter et al., Issued Nov. 28, 1989 discloses a projectile to be used in firearms training. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,053 to Oakley, Issued May 26, 1998 discloses a plug to be used to convert a modern shotgun to fire as a muzzle loading weapon.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe conversion system for converting a black powder, ball and cap pistol having a barrel and frame that allows for safely and conveniently allows the pistol to fire modern cartridges.
In this respect, the conversion system for converting a black powder, ball and cap pistol having a barrel and frame, to fire a modern cartridge of a smaller caliber according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of for safely and conveniently converting a black powder pistol to fire modern cartridges. If desired by the shooter, the gun to be converted quickly and easily to it""s original black powder state to fire ball and black powder.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved conversion system for converting a black powder, ball and cap pistol having a barrel and frame, to fire a modern cartridge of a smaller caliber which can be used for safely and conveniently firing modern cartridges in a weapon of this type. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of known methods and apparatuses for converting black powder pistols to fire modern ammunition of a smaller caliber now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved conversion system for converting a black powder, ball and cap pistol having a barrel and frame, to fire modern ammunition of a smaller caliber. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved conversion system for converting a black powder, ball and cap pistol having a barrel and frame, to fire a modern cartridge of a smaller caliber and a method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a conversion system for converting a black powder, ball and cap pistol having a barrel and frame, to fire a modern cartridge of a smaller caliber. This system comprises a barrel sleeve and two barrel tubular sleeves, known as barrel sleeves, one being shorter and one being longer. The shorter barrel sleeve is between about 6 and 8 inches long and the longer barrel sleeve is between about 14 and 18 inches long. Each comprised of a hard material, such as metal and the short barrel sleeve has an inlet, an outlet, a connecting barrel, an inside diameter, an outside diameter and a central aperture which is continuous throughout the barrel sleeves between the ends. The outside diameter of the shorter barrel sleeve has a threaded outlet and connecting barrel sized to fit loosely within the barrel of a black powder pistol. The outside diameter is between about 0.36 and 0.46 of an inch. The inlet is configured in a flange-like shape. The flange has a smaller and larger component. The smaller component has a cylinder-like shape which is sized to fit snugly into the inside diameter of the inlet of the pistol barrel and has a plurality of raised dimples which are sized to fit tightly into the inlet of the barrel rifling of the pistol. The large portion of the inlet is disc shaped with the disc being perpendicular to the smaller component of the inlet and it forms a flange lip having a central aperture with an inside diameter of between about 0.17 and 0.25 of an inch consistent with the barrel inside diameter. The longer barrel sleeve is configured as the shorter barrel sleeve and is longer. The outlet of the long barrel nut is further configured with a tapered outlet end, with the outside thread being made to accommodate a xe2x85x9c-18 pipe tapered nut. There are four letting slits between about 0.50 and 1.0 inch in length from the outlet end, inward, and four letting apertures having a diameter of between about 0.10 and 0.20 of an inch which are drilled at 90 degree angles to each other about a circumferential line at the location of the inboard extreme of the letting slits. These apertures are approximately 1.0 inch from the outlet of the barrel extension. The short barrel sleeve is secured with a barrel sleeve nut which comprises an inlet, an outlet and a portion therein between. It is preferably made of hard metal, and has a uniform central aperture. One configuration of the nut can have a stepped cylindrical configuration. The inlet is round and the outside diameter is sized to fit within the inside diameter of a pistol barrel. It has a length of between about 0.5 and 1.0 inch. The inlet is female threaded on the inside diameter of its aperture and threaded to mate with the male threaded portion of the threaded outside diameter of the barrel sleeve. The outside diameter of the inlet is sized to fit snugly into the inside diameter of the outlet of the pistol barrel. The outlet portion of the barrel nut is larger, approximating the outside diameter of the pistol barrel which is between about 0.5 and 1.0 inch in diameter. The barrel nut has a knurled surface for positive grip of the larger outlet portion. The long barrel sleeve nut is locked with a locking nut is one in which the nut has a tapered internal thread in the inlet so as to allow slight compression of the barrel extension outlet by the nut as it is tightened. The nut has a round cylindrical configuration with the interior diameter of the inlet being round and tapered inwardly. The nut has a length of between about 0.5 and 1.0 inch with the inlet being female threaded and tapered on the inside diameter of the aperture to mate with the tapered threaded portion of the threaded outside diameter of the barrel sleeve. The outside diameter of the nut is larger than the outside diameter of the existing pistol barrel and has a length of between about 0.5 and 1.0 inch. There is a firing pin ring assembly, having a doughnut-like shape, comprised of a loading gate subassembly, a firing pin subassembly and a firing pin ring. The firing pin subassembly has an inboard and outboard component. The inboard component comprises a solid cylinder having an inboard and outboard portion. The inboard portion is cylindrically round with a flat striking end and the outboard portion is threaded. The overall diameter of the inboard component is between about 0.01 to 0.15 of an inch, preferably {fraction (3/32 )} of an inch and has a length of between about 0.10 and 0.33 of an inch. The outboard component of the firing pin subassembly, having an inboard and an outboard portion is a solid cylinder with an outside diameter of between about 0.01 and 0.30 of an inch, preferably {fraction (7/32)} of an inch. On the inboard portion it has a threaded aperture to receive the end of the outboard portion of the inboard component of the firing pin subassembly. There is a spring nest on the inboard side, below the firing pin threaded aperture. In this apertures nests the firing pin return spring. The outboard portion has a flat-ended, cylindrical-shaped outboard hammer striking portion. The firing pin ring has an inboard and outboard face and a generally cylindrical configuration. It is between about 0.25 and 0.50 of an inch in thickness and has a diameter of between about 1.25 and 2.0 inches. There is a central aperture between about 0.40 and 0.80 of an inch in diameter, which passes through the ring from inboard to outboard. There is a recess surrounding the central aperture which is between about 0.10 and 0.20 of an inch in depth and between about 0.8 and 1.0 inch in diameter. A firing pin subassembly aperture passes through the ring, in which the firing pin subassembly is housed. A subassembly locking screw aperture is located just below and tangent to the firing pin subassembly aperture. A locking screw is threaded into the subassembly locking screw aperture and holds the firing pin subassembly in position. There is a stepped cylinder groove at the upward most edge of the firing ring perpendicular to the outboard face. The groove is located above the firing pin subassembly aperture. The groove begins at the outboard edge of the ring and has a depth of between about 0.25 and 0.35 of an inch. The step is located at between about 0.12 and 0.20 of in inch from the outboard edge of the firing ring. The step is placed approximately midpoint of the groove. It is wide enough to accommodate the width of the existing pistol hammer. The lower quadrant cylinder surface of between about 60 and 90 degrees of the circumference is a flat. The flattened area is opposite the firing pin subassembly aperture on the lower surface of the cylinder. It is configured to receive the frame of the pistol. The flattened area indents into the firing pin ring forming retention points which function to retain the firing pin ring in position and prevent rotation of the ring about the central shaft of the frame of the pistol when the gun""s cylinder is rotated by the gun""s rotating hand. A loading gate locking pin nest is drilled into the ring above and parallel with the flattened surface of the lower firing pin ring allowing the insertion of a spring and loading gate locking pin. A loading gate pivot aperture is drilled in an inboard direction from the outboard surface of the firing ring above the locking pin nest and runs perpendicular to the outboard surface. The continuity of the firing pin ring is interrupted and opened by a wedge-shaped cut which is a congruously-shaped to allow the close fit of a loading gate subassembly. There is a radius cut in the innermost aspect of the wedge cut in the firing ring to allow the passage of modern cartridge into the cylinder. The loading gate subassembly comprises a loading gate with an attachment tab, loading gate pivot pin and gate locking pin. This subassembly is mated to the opening in the ring and is attached by the loading gate pivot pin to the firing pin ring. The gate locking pin is nested in the body of the firing pin ring within an aperture which is drilled parallel with the lower flattened area, perpendicular to the central shaft aperture and is held in place by the loading gate tab. This allows the rotation of the loading gate about 90 degrees around the pivot pin, with the locking pin capable of retaining the gate in an open or closed position. A cartridge cylinder having the length of between about 1 and 2 inches, and a diameter of between about 1.5 and 2.5 inches is used in the system. The cartridge cylinder has an inboard and outboard surface, is cylindrical in shape with semi-circular locking lug depressions on the long outside wall of the cylinder, and has cartridge apertures which run the length of the cylinder from inboard to outboard. These cartridge apertures are between about 0.20 and 0.25 of an inch in internal diameter and are positioned in a circular, circumferential orientation around the cylinder""s central shaft aperture, which runs through the length of the cylinder. There is a cylindrical rotation ratchet on the outboard side of the cartridge cylinder. The ratchet is cylindrical in shape with a saw-toothed ridge on the outward, outboard edge. The teeth are configured to mate with and engage the existing rotation hand of the pistol frame. The ratchet fits through the central aperture of the firing pin ring and engages the pistol frame mechanism. The locking lug depressions on the outside long surface of the cylinder mate with and engage the existing pistol locking bolt of the pistol frame. A barrel wedge assembly comprises a wedge subassembly and an unloading rod assembly. The barrel wedge subassembly has an over all thickness being between about 0.15 and 0.30 inches in width. It comprises an expanding wedge portion and a extraction portion. The expanding wedge portion is two strips of rigid material, positioned side by side with the rearward metal strip being indented to accept the wedge screw. The wedge screw is threadedly attached to the existing pistol barrel and retains the wedge, preventing it from pulling from the wedge opening in the barrel of the existing revolver. There are two aligned apertures through the two pieces of the wedge. The attachment aperture is located on the outboard side. The rivet aperture is located on the inboard side. A third aperture, the distractor aperture, is located outboard of the attachment aperture. This aperture extends through only one metal strip. A distractor screw is threaded into the single unmatched aperture. It is used to mechanically separate the metal strips, spreading the strips and enlarging the horizontal width of the wedge. The rivet aperture is drilled smooth to receive a pin of between about 0.10 and 0.16 of an inch in outside diameter. The extraction portion of the barrel wedge subassembly is configured from a single strip of a rigid material, preferably metal. It is U shaped with an over all thickness being between about 0.15 and 0.30 inches in width. The extractor portion has two parallel sides with one being longer than the other and a perpendicular connecting cross member. The sides create an opening opposite of the cross member. A pivotal pin aperture sized to allow passage of a 6-32 cap head screw is made at the end of the shorter side. A pivotal aperture on the long side, which is threaded to receive a 6-32 cap head screw, is aligned with an identical pivotal aperture on the short side. These apertures are equidistant from the cross member of the subassembly and align with the attachment aperture of the wedge. The wedge is attached to the extraction portion of the barrel wedge by a 6-32 cap head screw which passes through the aperture in the short side of the extractor portion, then through both of the strips of the wedge, and into the threaded aperture in the long leg of the extractor portion of the wedge subassembly. An unloading rod assembly comprises an unloading rod and an unloading rod housing. The unloading rod has an inboard and outboard end, having an overall length of between about 2 and 4 inches long and between about 0.12 and 0.20 inches in diameter. It is made of rigid material, preferably of steel. It has its outboard end shaped in a U which has a radius of between about 0.10 and 0.30, the length of the U of the unloading rod being between about 0.50 and 0.90 inches in length. There is a circumferential groove of between about 260 and 280 degrees around the outside diameter of the unloading rod at about a distance of between about 0.50 and 1.0 inch from the inboard end. This partial groove leaves a smooth area of between about 80 and 100 degrees of the rod""s circumferential surface between the ends of the groove. The unloading rod housing has an inboard and an outboard side, with an over all thickness being between about 0.15 and 0.30 inches in width. It is L shaped with the inboard leg of the L being longer than the outboard leg. The short outboard leg is oriented parallel with the center line of the bore of the revolver, in line with a lateral chamber of the revolver""s cylinder. It has an aperture with the diameter of between about 0.145 and 0.165 of an inch through the length of the short leg, which allows the unloading rod to be housed within this aperture. The long leg of the L shaped unloading rod housing is oriented perpendicular to the center line of the revolver. It has an inboard and outboard portion. It has a through aperture of between about 0.09 and 0.12 of an inch in diameter communicating with and meeting with the short leg of the unloading rod housing. The inboard end of that aperture is threaded to the size of about a 5-40 screw. A spring and a pin are retained within the confines of the through aperture by this screw. The pin intersects the aperture of the housing. The aperture of the housing runs in a course perpendicular to the path of the pin. The pin and spring function as a holding pin to prevent inadvertent movement of the unloading rod. The long leg is positioned within the existing revolver wedge hole, just inboard and parallel to the expanding wedge. There is a skeleton pistol grip shoulder stock, comprising the components of a main stock wedge, a tubular rounded extension, an upward grip member, a connecting weld, a hook and nut, a horizontal grip member and a vertical cross grip member. The main stock wedge has an upper, lower, inboard and outboard component, being made of a rigid, light weight material, preferably a rigid tubular plastic or tubular metal of between about 0.36 and 0.75 of an inch in the outside diameter. The main stock wedge upper and lower components are almost equal in length and run at a converging angle of between about 5 and 20 degrees, with the wider distance between the upper and lower components being at the outboard extreme and the narrower distance being at the inboard extreme of the upper and lower components. Each of those components being between about 12 and 20 inches long. The outboard component is between about 4 and 6 inches long. It connects the upper and lower components and has a generally concave configuration. The shorter inboard component is between about 1 and 3 inches long and connects the innermost end of the upper component with a point on the lower component between about 1 and 2 inches from the innermost end of the lower component. This connection creates an angle of between about 75 and 90 degrees at the point of meeting with the lower component. The outermost end of the tubular rounded extension is a continuation of the lower component. It is about 1 and 2 inches long, having an inboard and outboard portion. The inboard portion has an aperture between about 0.20 and 0.30 of an inch through the tubular rounded extension which is angled at between about 60 and 85 degrees from the center line of the tubular rounded extension at a location of between about 0.25 and 0.50 of an inch from the innermost end. The upward grip member is constructed of an L shaped rigid material, preferably steel, having a short leg and a long leg. A weld securely couples the stock tubular rounded extension with the end of the long leg of the upward grip member, forming an angle of between about 60 and 85 degrees from the center line of the tubular rounded extension. The short leg is distant to the point of connection to the stock wedge and has the L bent in the general direction toward the stock wedge. This bend forms an approximately 90 degree angle bend with the lower longer portion of the L shape. There is an aperture being between about 0.20 and 0.30 of an inch in diameter in the short leg. The aperture is in line with the aperture in the tubular rounded extension. There is an upward grip hook of a generally solid cylindrical configuration. It is between about 3 and 6 inches long and has an outside diameter of between about 0.20 and 0.40 of an inch. It has an inboard and outboard component and a connecting shaft between. The outboard component is configured in a J hook shape. The hook comprises a bend in the shaft having a radius of between about 0.10 and 0.25 of an inch. The inboard end is threaded to a thread size of about 0.25 of an inch in outside diameter and the connecting shaft is between about 2 and 5 inches long. The upward grip hook nut has in inboard and outboard portion. The inboard portion is cylindrical with a threaded aperture to mate with the thread of the hook. The outside diameter of the inboard portion is between about 0.40 and 0.60 of an inch and is between about 0.30 and 0.50 of an inch in length. The outboard portion of the hook nut is a solid cylinder with a central aperture to continue the aperture through the inboard portion. The outside dimensions having a diameter of between about 0.60 and 0.80 of an inch and having a knurled surface on the outward rounded circumference. There is a flattened outermost end of the hook nut. A horizontal grip member having a generally elongated C configuration is made of a single piece of rigid material, preferably metal. It has a width of between about 0.25 and 0.40 of an inch. The horizontal grip member has two lateral components of between about 2 and 4 inches long and one central component of between about 1 and 2 inches long. Each lateral component has an aperture of between about 0.20 and 0.30 of an inch in diameter, and are equally spaced from the outboard open end of the C, that distance being between about 0.75 and 1.50 inches from the outboard open end of the C. A vertical cross grip member has a shortened C shaped configuration. It is comprised of a strip of between about 0.20 and 0.30 of an inch in width, of a rigid material, preferably metal. It has two short lateral components and one long central component. The short lateral components are between about 0.30 and 0.50 of an inch in length, with each having an equally spaced, centrally spaced aperture. The aperture has a diameter of between about 0.20 and 0.30 of an inch, so that it may be threaded to mate with the thread of a 0.25 inch machine screw. The vertical cross grip member is coupled with the horizontal grip member, preferably with the utilization of two machine screws. The entire skeleton pistol grip shoulder stock is attachable to the pistol. A scope mount is comprised of a single piece of rigid material, preferably steel. It is a square in width and height of between about 0.75 and 1.50 inches, with an overall rectangular length of between about 4 and 6 inches before machining. The scope mount plate is a rectangular piece of rigid material, preferably steel having a length of between about 1.0 and 1.8 inches and a width to slightly larger than the scope mount. The scope mount plate is between about 0.20 and 0.30 of an inch thick. The scope mount has an upper, lower and two side faces, with a attachment side and attachment end which mounts to the pistol and a scope side and scope end where the scope mounts. A horizontal step cut is made in the upper face of the scope side of the mount of between about 0.05 and 0.15 of an inch to a point approximately mid-length of the scope mount. The upper face also has a large aperture in the midline on the attachment side of the midpoint, being between about 0.40 and 0.60 of an inch in diameter through the midline. It is perpendicular to the upper face in the direction of the lower face. A slot of between about 0.20 and 0.30 of an inch in width connects the large aperture of the upper face with the end of the attachment side of the scope mount. The slot is cut through the entire height of the scope mount in the midline and extends to the end of the attachment side of the scope mount. A wide central slit is machined in the surface of the stepped scope side of the scope mount and is between about 0.05 and 0.10 of an inch in depth and between about 0.40 and 0.60 of an inch wide. It runs from the beginning of the step to the end of the scope side of the scope mount. There are six apertures in the central slit, being equally spaced between about 0.40 and 0.60 of an inch apart, center on center, centrally located on the midline of the scope mount length. These apertures threaded to fit a 6-32 machine thread screw. The side faces are notched inward and have an elongated Z configuration. Both legs of the Z are parallel. The central connector of the Z is short and obliquely angled inward making a narrowed upper faced portion of the scope mount on the scope end. The narrowing is between about 0.25 and 0.40 of an inch on each side the mount. One of the side faces has three apertures sized to accommodate the outside diameter of a 8-32 machine screw. The other side has four apertures, three of which align with and match the three apertures of the opposite side. These three apertures are sized so as to be threaded to a size which would mate with approximately an 8-32 machine screw. The tightening of these screws draws in and compresses the sides to one another and tightens the scope mount on the pistol. The fourth aperture which is located between the outboard two apertures of that side is threaded to a size to accommodate an 8-32 machine screw. There is no corresponding aperture on the opposite side, and this aperture with its screw functions as a spreader. It allows the insertion of the screw though the aperture to push against the opposite side. A letting aperture is drilled into the attachment side end face and has an aperture of between about 0.30 and 0.50 of an inch. It is drilled off of the center line so that the aperture interrupts the lower surface of the scope mount forming a radius slit from the scope side end to meet with and connect with the large aperture in the upper face of the scope side of the scope mount. The letting aperture allows the compression of the attachment side of the scope mount to tighten securely on the pistol barrel. The lower face of the scope mount has four apertures drilled toward the opposite side. There apertures are threaded to a diameter to accommodate a 6-32 machine screw. These apertures are perpendicular to the lower face, and are placed two on each side of the lower face between about 0.75 and 1.50 of an inch apart. The scope mount plate has an upper face and a lower face. The lower face being between about 1.0 and 2.0 inches in length with a width to be between about 0.50 and 0.80 of an inch wider than the width of the scope mount lower face. The plate is between about 0.220 and 0.30 of an inch in thickness and made of a rigid material, preferably steel. The plate has four apertures each having a diameter to allow passage of a 6-32 machine screw sized to match the four apertures of the lower face of the scope mount. A shallow full-length slit is machined in the upper face of the scope mount plate. This slit is between about 0.120 and 0.130 of an inch in depth and wide enough to accept the width of the scope mount. The full length slit is further machined along the entire length to have a radius curve of between about a 0.250 and 0.500 of an inch. This radius curve matches the radius curve of the lower face of the scope mount. The side walls created by the machining of the slit have a thickness of between about 0.25 and 0.40 of an inch.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved conversion system for converting a black powder, ball and cap pistol having a barrel and frame, to fire a modern cartridge of a smaller caliber which has all of the advantages of the prior art of the known methods and apparatuses for converting black powder pistols to fire modern ammunition of a smaller caliber and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved conversion system for converting a black powder, ball and cap pistol having a barrel and frame, to fire a modern cartridge of a smaller caliber which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved conversion system for converting a black powder, ball and cap pistol having a barrel and frame, to fire a modern cartridge of a smaller caliber which is of durable and reliable constructions.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved 0.22 caliber long rifle removable conversion system kit for open top frame, black powder, ball and cap colt reproduction and replica revolverxe2x80x94recreation and gallery shootingxe2x80x94having a barrel and frame, to fire a modern cartridge of a smaller caliber which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such conversion system for converting a black powder, ball and cap pistol having a barrel and frame, to fire a modern cartridge of a smaller caliber economically available to the buying public.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a conversion system for safely and conveniently converting a black powder, ball and cap pistol having a barrel and frame, to fire a modern cartridge of a smaller caliber.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a 0.22 caliber long rifle removable conversion system kit for open top frame, black powder, ball and cap colt reproduction and replica revolverxe2x80x94recreation and gallery shooting, comprising a barrel sleeve; a barrel sleeve nut being threaded to mate with a threaded portion of the outside diameter of the barrel sleeve and sized to fit snugly into the inside diameter of the outlet of the pistol barrel; a firing pin ring assembly comprised of a loading gate subassembly, firing pin subassembly and firing pin ring, a cartridge cylinder cylindrical in shape with cartridge apertures configured to mate with and engage the existing rotation hand and locking lug of the pistol frame; and a barrel wedge assembly comprising an expanding wedge subassembly and an unloading rod assembly comprising an unloading rod and an unloading rod housing.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.